Happy Monday, Roundtable. We are now just thirty-two days away from the season opener. Even sooner than that will be the Nashville Predators pre-season training camp. It’s all starting to get jolly exciting! Let’s dive into a few topics to kick off the week.

Pre-Season Training Camp

This past Friday the Predators announced the roster for the team’s pre-season training camp. There are loads of names on my prospect radar that I can’t wait to see how they handle themselves during the camp. While 2014 NHL Draft selections such as Kevin Fiala and Viktor Arvidsson will look to make a solid impression in camp – I have to say that it is some of those familiar names that peak my interests far more.

Colton Sissons: Battling for an NHL Role

When the Predators added Olli Jokinen, Mike Ribeiro, and Derek Roy it seemed like the room for a man the likes of Colton Sissons was pushed out of the early season plans. Calle Jarnkrok is clearly favored over Sissons. And it would appear the puck is really on Sissons stick tape to make the Predators think otherwise.

My thought on Sissons, from last season, is that he isn’t exactly someone who does any one particular thing flashy or exciting – he just does the smart and simple things he needed to do. At the AHL level his offensive numbers were great: 44 points (25 goals, 19 assists) in 62 games. Yet, playing predominantly on the Predators fourth line when given the chance, his NHL numbers were a lesser 4 points (1 goal, 3 assists) from 17 games. When you consider his counterpart Jarnkrok tallied 9 points (2 goals, 7 assists) from 12 games – you might understand why Sissons needs to do that little bit extra to impress.

Mind you, I still have my reservations as to the Predators veteran additions from the offseason. Jokinen, Ribeiro, and Roy all signed for one-year deals at affordable prices. That always seemed low risk and high reward to me. Best case scenario: things work, the team keeps everyone, and they make the playoffs. Worst case scenario: things don’t come off as well as planned, they all get wheeled and dealed at the trade deadline to contending teams, and the Predators do not make the playoffs.

What would that last option mean in the scope of a guy such as Sissons? It would allow him to be the Admirals top-line center, work in a multitude of game situations he might not get to play in at the NHL level, and then get called up following the trade deadline to play a third or fourth line role. End game isn’t so bad there. Though I have to imagine most, especially Sissons, would rather push the bar of what he accomplished last season as soon as possible.

Watson Watch

The simple questions I’d have at this point regarding Austin Watson would be… (1) Is he going to play at center again or remain where he finished last season on the wing? (2) Does any of that even matter at this point? With players like Jarnkrok and Sissons leap frogging him last season and more young forwards being brought into the professional ranks this season, Brendan Leipsic and Pontus Aberg to name two quickies, you question if there is really a place in Nashville for Watson anymore?

Regardless of how good of a story it was for Mark Van Guilder getting his first career NHL game last season – I have to question what both Watson and David Poile felt having a move like that happen. With him being an RFA after this season, I’m questioning whether or not he is really in anyone’s long term plans for the Predators. Simple Fact, it is up to only one person to make that be the case. And it’ll be worth seeing out of a pre-season training camp and early goings of the Admirals season if that actually sinks into that one person’s mind.

The Forgotten Finn

Who led the Milwaukee Admirals in points last season? A rookie. Which rookie? Why none other than Miikka Salomaki – yet another young versatile forward that should be knocking on the NHL door this season. 50 points (20 goals, 30 assists) in 75 games for the Admirals last season. Not to mention he played 10 games for Finland at the World Championships where he recorded a goal and an assist. He played the better part of last season as a winger but was plenty comfortable taking faceoffs and working as a center for the Ads. All while being that “bull in a china shop” as his head coach Dean Evason would describe him.

So, all of those great things being said as a reminder, does he have a legitimate chance to play NHL games this season for the Predators? What could he do this season that he didn’t do last season? …aside from not getting a match penalty that one time. If Salomaki repeats what he did last season. The Admirals would benefit hugely by his work rate and the Predators should have him on their short list as a guy they need to give an NHL run-out this season. He was making splashes in that pond for playing time last season. It didn’t happen. His training camp in the pre-season could go that extra bit further than most prospects who’ll be attending due to that fact.

Tendy Swag

In the, not too many people will care department, I do have one more question as far as pre-season camp. And that is whether or not we’ll be seeing new masks or gear for the goaltenders. We already know that Magnus Hellberg made the switch in the offseason from Reebok to Warrior (improvement in my book). With his actual gear for this season decked out in Admiral white, blue, and black – would an upgraded Ads mask be next on deck for Pelle Magnus? He ran with a Preds mask here and there last season. I’m thinking, based on the new pads, that a new Admirals mask is in the works.

As for Marek Mazanec, I would be pretty surprised to see him add to the locker. He picked up new CCM gear just before the start of last season’s playoffs. Prior to that he was wearing Reebok. And, his Admirals mask, is too sharp… can’t improve perfection… or can he? We shall see.

Minor Update

On a personal note, I want to mention that I recently picked up additional writing responsibilities over at Predlines. It was a place I did a story or two for last season and quite enjoyed it. Now I should be popping up a story once a week or more as the season storms along. What does that mean for here? Probably nothing. This is still my “go to” outlet for all things Admirals and Predators. I just like that there will be an additional outlet this season. And, perhaps, we might see a crossover at some point to get some Q&A with the folks working there as well. I think for the time being everyone there would join me in saying, “just drop the puck already.”

What storylines are you following heading into the pre-season training camp? Are there NHL jobs to be had by Admirals of last season? Is Colton Sissons the odd man out? Can they make Magnus Hellberg’s mask but do it in the form of a kitten?

Let’s discuss a topic that I’ve been busy digesting since it first surfaced one week ago. That topic is of course the recently suggested NHL expansion to not one, not two, not even three, but four locations: Las Vegas, Seattle, Quebec City, and Toronto.

This story kicked off on my watch with a report that an NHL expansion to Las Vegas was a, “done deal,” according to sources. No word if those sources were these guys or not but, fact of the matter was, that triggered more response on the matter of league expansion with the other proposed cities entering the mix – including a date of 2017 in mind.

The NHL league offices had a response to the Las Vegas “done deal” report. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told Sports Illustrated that, “It’s not in our plans, there is absolutely nothing new in that.” He also cooled thoughts on a franchise such as the Florida Panthers packing up and heading West in that same article.

It is all very cloudy days for this idea of a 2017 NHL expansion. My thoughts on the matter consist of a multitude of questions on the proposed expansion. Does the NHL really need an expansion of any type? Is there a better possibility for particular teams to move rather than add more bulk to the league? If this were all set in stone fact, does Toronto really need another team – would a professional franchise survive in Las Vegas – does this mean another divisional realignment? I could rattle on and on and on.

Out of the four proposed expansion cities there are two that I think would work rather well: Seattle and Quebec. Seattle, on location alone, presents a great city and location to create good new rivalries on the West Coast. And for Quebec – some may say it’s long overdue to get hockey back there in the same vein as the Winnipeg Jets franchise might echo.

Toronto? They have the Maple Leafs with a nearby rival in the Ottawa Senators. Is another team in the same city as a long standing original six franchise really going to be all that popular among fans in Toronto? If the NHL had that rationale they may as well plop another franchise in Chicago for a laugh and the money.

Las Vegas is a really fascinating location for any professional sports franchise. It just hasn’t been all that tested. No offense Las Vegas Outlaws. I want to say, of all professional sports in North America, that less stupid activities within that city would occur with hockey players. Yet, there is plenty of potential headaches to deal with. One of them might just be the appeal of even having a professional franchise in such a tourist location. What would the long term draw be for a Las Vegas hockey team? Are we talking about something that hits the ground running and stays or just another desert based calamity of poor fan support? After all, the last season the newly named Arizona Coyotes weren’t in the bottom three of league attendance was in 2006-07 when they finished a strong twenty-fourth out of thirty teams. In short, it’d be fun to see if it could work – it just probably would plummet financially like, I don’t know, the Coyotes have year after year.

What are your impressions of a possible NHL expansion? Will it happen? Should it happen? Which of the four cities would you most like to see gain a hockey franchise?

Today’s rambling is going to focus on a recent report which suggests that Scott Ford will not be back with the Milwaukee Admirals this coming season. The story has quotes from the Admirals captain stating the following:

“I’m looking to get a contract right now. I don’t know if it’s going to be back in Milwaukee this year. With Nashville being our NHL affiliate and stuff like that it doesn’t look like it’s going to work out,” he said. “It’s one of those things where I’m in a pool of free agents looking for a contract. It’s a waiting game right now. Obviously there’s a bit of anxiety right now but also excitement as well maybe with a new chapter and transitioning to another organization and maybe get an opportunity there.”

“If not it may be time to search elsewhere and do other things. I’ve been pretty privileged to have a career that’s lasted ten years. It’s been fantastic. I have a ton of friends, a ton of memories. I’m just mentally or physically ready to be done with it yet. I’m still working hard with a lot of the guys that come back to the community here,” he explained.

What I take from that dialogue out of Ford is the following. (1) Nashville is content with seeing their young defensive prospect pool get AHL playing time next season. (2) That means a roster spot for Ford just about went out the window the day the Predators re-signed Joe Piskula on a two-way contract. (3) If Milwaukee aren’t willing to sign him – will anyone really be willing to add a defenseman that will turn 35-years old this coming Christmas Eve?

I have my doubts that there will be another team out there looking for a defenseman such as Ford. He is an outstanding leader on and off the ice but, as a defenseman, looked very much his age against the Toronto Marlies in the opening round of last season’s playoffs. He was getting turned inside out, often slow to react, and even slower to keep up with pace that was flying down the wings. I would argue that his presence as an Admiral, knowledge of the team and city, would still make him an asset to keep for another season. Yet, it appears that things are going in a more youthful approach starting this season when up to six rookies will make up the Milwaukee defensive nucleus: Johan Alm, Jonathan-Ismael Diaby, Garrett Noonan, Jimmy Oligny, Jaynen Rissling, and Mikko Vainonen.

My questions to all of you, to which I have a few I’d love to hear opinions on, are: Will we see Scott Ford back with the Milwaukee Admirals? If not with the Admirals – will he land with another AHL team (and who)? Will the Sheriff officially retire prior to the start of the season if there remains a lack of interest around the league? Who becomes the next captain of the Milwaukee Admirals if Ford does indeed not return?

For my money, I can see him returning to the Admirals midway through the season in a similar way to Brad Winchester two seasons ago or -at the very least- staying on with the organization in some capacity. The closer we get to the season starting up a lot more of this speculation should become more of a reality. Mark Van Guilder for captain, anyone?

Happy Monday, Roundtable. The news-train remains a wee bit slow for the time being but there have been some happenings worthy of talking about.

~The AHL Schedule Due Date~

The wait for the American Hockey League’s schedule to finally be unveiled might be on the horizon soon. There typically is a wait for the AHL thanks in small part to a thing called the NBA (where they play hoop ball and basket slam n’ such). The good news there is that they released their schedule this past Wednesday. Expect a bit of a wait to cross reference dates between teams that share arenas, such as the Milwaukee Admirals and Bucks relationship, before the AHL schedule gets released as well. My expectation would be around the Labor Day weekend – or thereabouts.

~Cincinnati Cyclones Bring Back Two~

Last Thursday our pals down at the ECHL level brought back forward Byron Froese and defenseman David MacDonald on one-year deals. This means yet more of the the squad that made it all the way to the ECHL Kelly Cup Finals remains on-board for the 2014-15 season. Remember – goaltender and ECHL Kelly Cup MVP Rob Madore, who signed with the Milwaukee Admirals this off-season, should be the Cyclones starter in net.

The signing that excites me the most between those two is the re-signing of Froese. His offensive numbers in the playoff run for the Cyclones last season were fantastic: 25 points (8 goals, 17 assists) in 23 games. In 25 regular season games for the Cyclones he produced 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) compared to his AHL numbers for the Rockford IceHogs, only 5 assists in 28 games. He’s still just 23-years old. With a steady enough run for the Cyclones again he could make a leap back up to the AHL ranks.

~ALS Ice Bucket Challenge~

The recent ALS Ice Bucket Challenge movement has been wonderful. Not only for the fun of seeing people endure the ice bath but the charitable cause that originated it. So far, the Milwaukee Admirals as a group have been doing their part for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Here are some of my favorites that have been done so far: Roscoe, Mark Van Guilder and the entire Milwaukee Admirals front office, Scott Valentine, Colton Sissons, and Jonathan-Ismael Diaby.

Great stuff! And, with some of those challenged by those Admirals, we might still see a few more to come.

The summer is starting to really drag on in the hockey news circle. Not a whole lot of real news, updates, or player movement going on. Is Scott Ford going to retire? Where will Scott Valentine or Charles-Olivier Roussel land? Will we see more additions to the AHL and ECHL rosters from the Admirals in regards depth and competition for when pre-season camp starts up? Lots of questions to be asked without real definitive answers just yet. All in due time I suppose.

~The Importance of Veteran Leadership~

The last roster move that the Milwaukee Admirals made involved the free agent signings of goaltender Rob Madore and left-winger Triston Grant. Last issue of Ramblings I tapped into the signing of Madore and what that does for goalie competition this season. Today, I want to talk about the importance of having a player such as Grant back in town with the Milwaukee Admirals.

Last season the Admirals veteran core consisted of six players above the age of 26-years old: Scott Ford, Joe Piskula, Bryan Rodney, Kevin Henderson, Mark Van Guilder, and Francis Wathier. As of now, the Admirals currently have five: Rob Madore (26), Piskula (30), Van Guilder (30), Henderson (27), and Grant (30).

The youth of last year’s team, let’s just say players at or below the age of 22-years old who played a good chunk of games, stood at thirteen: Taylor Beck, Zach Budish, Magnus Hellberg, Scott Valentine, Patrick Cehlin, Marek Mazanec, Calle Jarnkrok, Charles-Olivier Roussel, Josh Shalla, Austin Watson, Miikka Salomaki, Filip Forsberg, and Colton Sissons.

That’s a hefty chunk of players but plenty who were around prior to last season. Of that list, guys such as Mazanec, Jarnkrok, Salomaki, Forsberg, and Sissons were enduring their first full-season of professional hockey in North America. This year’s Admirals group is going to be plenty green.

As the roster stands – the Admirals currently have sixteen players at or under the age of 22-years old set to play next season: Jonathan-Ismael Diaby (19), Filip Forsberg (19), Brendan Leipsic (20), Felix Girard (20), Mikko Vainonen (20), Colton Sissons (20), Pontus Aberg (20), Jaynen Rissling (20), Frederick Gaudreau (21), Jimmy Oligny (21), Viktor Arvidsson (21), Miikka Salomaki (21), Johan Alm (22), Austin Watson (22), Taylor Aronson (22), and Josh Shalla (22).

Making their full-season professional debuts in North America will be ten of that sixteen. As I said before. It’s a rather green team for the 2014-15 season. And that is precisely why a signing of Triston Grant is brilliant.

If the veteran leadership and presence conducted from team captain Scott Ford is lacking entering this year’s campaign your replacement leaders will be guys such as Grant, Van Guilder, and Piskula. Those three alone could potentially be your captains this season – with young candidates such as Watson, Sissons, or -dark horse pick- Anthony Bitetto also in consideration for alternate captaincy roles. It’s the way that they conduct themselves on and off the ice that make a difference. With a team that is stacked with green players it’s going to be vital to get veterans, such as the three mentioned, stepping up and taking the rookies under their wing immediately. The sooner the rookies get acclimated to the ice, the AHL level, the locker room, city, you name it — the better.

I have a very strong gut feeling that the Milwaukee Admirals you see on the 2014 side of the calendar will be nothing close to as good as the one that closes out the season. It’s an inexperienced team for the AHL level but a highly promising one for the Admirals 2014-15 season and the Nashville Predators future.

Having Grant, someone that spent two seasons in the system back in 2008-10, is going to be a great complement to the current cast. His last two-seasons have been with the Grand Rapids Griffins where he played 126 games, scored 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists), and gathered up a rocking 299 penalty minutes. Not to mention that 2012-13 Calder Cup he won. His role as a leader on the team is going to be one of the key points to this young Admirals squad being all the wiser as the season crawls through the schedule.

Who would you pencil in as the captains of your current Milwaukee Admirals right now? Do the Admirals need to bring in more veterans or are you confident in a young and talented group such as they have at the moment?